I.

Introduction

Belarus, independent republic in eastern Europe, bordered on the north-west by Lithuania and Latvia, on the east by Russia, on the south by Ukraine, and on the west by Poland. Formerly the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), it is also known as Belorussia (also spelled Byelorussia) and White Russia. The republic covers an area of about 207,595 sq km (80,153 sq mi). Minsk is the capital and largest city.